Written Answers Monday 19 July 2010

Scottish Executive

Air Accidents

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) accidents, (b) injuries and (c) fatalities there have been at Scottish airports or on flights scheduled to arrive at or depart from them in each year since 1997, also broken down by airport.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on the number of (a) accidents, (b) injuries and (c) fatalities there have been at Scottish airports or on flights scheduled to arrive at or depart from them. This information can be sought from the Civil Aviation Authority for information relating to flights and from the Health and Safety Executive for information relating to airports.

Education

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional funding can be made available to North Highland College should the college continue to run the roof slating and tiling course at its Alness campus.

Keith Brown: Funding of individual colleges is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council and not Ministers. I have asked the Chief Executive of the Funding Council to write to the member.

Enterprise Networks

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Highlands and Islands Enterprise is seeking to recover the funding that it awarded to Essentially Scottish Botanicals due to the company terminating its work on the project.

Keith Brown: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to you in this regard.

Higher Education

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of non-continuation of courses by students was at each dental school in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) publish performance indicators on non-continuation rates but not at the level of detail of specific dental schools. For further information please refer to HESA’s website:

  http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1695&Itemid=141.

Higher Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a statement to the Parliament on the proposed merger of Glasgow Metropolitan College, the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and Central College, Glasgow.

Keith Brown: The proposed merger remains under consideration by Ministers and we will make our position clear in due course.

Higher Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget has been agreed for voluntary redundancies by the Scottish Funding Council in relation to the proposed merger of Glasgow Metropolitan College, the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and Central College, Glasgow.

Keith Brown: Funding of colleges, including in relation to merger costs, is the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council and not ministers. I have asked the Chief Executive of the Funding Council to reply to the member.

Higher Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision in relation to the proposed merger of Glasgow Metropolitan College, the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and Central College, Glasgow.

Keith Brown: Ministers are aware that the colleges concerned seek to merge from 1 August 2010, which is the beginning of the 2010-11 academic year. Ministers will take whatever time is necessary to consider fully the advice of the Scottish Funding Council and other representations they have received on the issue.

Higher Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the relevant trade unions have been consulted in relation to the proposed merger of Glasgow Metropolitan College, the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and Central College, Glasgow.

Keith Brown: Ministers are considering the proposed merger against a range of criteria, one of which is that there has been appropriate consultation on the proposal.

Higher Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has concerns regarding the future of Stow College under the proposed merger of Glasgow Metropolitan College, the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and Central College, Glasgow.

Keith Brown: The statutory duty to secure the coherent provision of further education rests with the Scottish Funding Council and not Ministers. I have asked the Chief Executive of the Funding Council to reply to the member.

Higher Education

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been in communication with the North Highland College regarding proposals to stop the roof slating and tiling course at the college's Alness campus.

Keith Brown: The courses offered by colleges are a matter for their board of management which is responsible for securing the best overall value from the public resources at its disposal. Ministers, in line with the policy of successive administrations, do not seek to influence decisions on the provision offered by a college.

Higher Education

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take should the North Highland College implement the proposals to stop the roof slating and tiling course at the college’s Alness campus.

Keith Brown: I understand that the individuals concerned are studying as part of a modern apprenticeship programme, support for which is a matter for Skills Development Scotland. I have asked the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to the member.

Higher Education

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support students wishing to enrol in roof slating and tiling courses who must travel to the central belt for college training.

Keith Brown: Support for individuals on a modern apprenticeship programme is a matter for Skills Development Scotland. I have asked its Chief Executive to write to the member.

  Financial support for other students is a matter for the college concerned, with which enquiries should be made direct.

Higher Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children excluded from mainstream education for behavioural issues in academic year 2009-10 received counselling or assistance following exclusion to specifically address this behaviour, expressed as a percentage.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not available centrally.

Life Expectancy

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to improve life expectancy in South Ayrshire.

Shona Robison: South Ayrshire’s Single Outcome Agreement indentifies tackling health inequalities as a priority for the Community Planning Partnership and sets out a number of supporting actions including those which -

  Encourage better diet, nutrition and physical health across all age groups

  Tackle health inequalities and improve well-being for children and young people

  Address health inequalities leading to enhanced employability

  Provision of appropriate interventions for people who are experiencing alcohol issues in order to promote recovery

Rail Network

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the full business case for the Borders Rail Link.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16378 on 26 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Rail Network

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a recent alteration to the benefit-cost ratio of the Borders Rail Link and, if so, for what reason.

Stewart Stevenson: There has been no recent alteration to the benefit-cost ratio of the Borders Railway.

Road Safety

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to improve road safety in the (a) Highland, (b) Western Isles, (c) Orkney, (d) Shetland, (e) Argyll and Bute and (f) Moray local authority areas.

Stewart Stevenson: Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020, launched in June 2009, sets out our national road safety priorities and a range of commitments which we shall deliver in partnership with our key stakeholders to improve road safety.

  The Framework seeks to inform local authorities’ road safety delivery plans to ensure that we have a joined up approach, whilst allowing flexibility for them to determine their own local priorities and solutions. All local authorities in Scotland publish their own local road safety plan, however copies are not held centrally.

  The Scottish Government is making available almost £12 billion in funding for local authorities this year. Our concordat with COSLA has given local authorities more freedom than ever before to invest in local priorities such as local roads. Decisions about local road safety are therefore a matter for individual councils.

Road Safety

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to involve young people directly in motor accident and collision prevention.

Stewart Stevenson: Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020 , published in June 2009, contains a number of commitments which we shall deliver in partnership with internal colleagues and external stakeholders to address the needs of children and young people and drivers aged 17-25.

  These include continued funding for Road Safety Scotland to develop far-reaching road safety educational resources; continuing to support the use of school travel plans fully involving the local community; and looking for innovative ways to target young drivers with appropriate messages about safe driving.

  In late summer 2010, we also intend to conduct a national public debate with young drivers, their parents and guardians and representative groups in order to explore with them the road safety issues for young and newly qualified drivers and potential solutions.

  A representative from the Scottish Youth Parliament also sits on our Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board which was established to govern the delivery of the commitments in the road safety framework.

Road Safety

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make representations to the UK Government to review the standard driving test given the impact on road safety in Scotland and whether it will request the inclusion of night driving.

Stewart Stevenson: We have no plans at present to make representations to the UK Government to review the standard driving test.

  The Driving Standards Agency conducted a consultation exercise in 2008 asking for views on overhauling the Driver Training and Testing Regime, for which they are responsible, including a proposal to include additional steps prior to fully qualifying as a driver. We provided a full response to that consultation including asking for elements of Pass Plus to be included in the training regime pre-test. We believe that the Driving Standards Agency are currently reviewing Pass Plus in light of contributions to the consultation.

Road Safety

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make representations to the UK Government to suggest that it consider setting a limit to the engine size of cars that young drivers can legally drive.

Stewart Stevenson: We have no plans at present to make representations to the UK Government to suggest that it considers setting a limit to the engine size of cars that young drivers can legally drive.

  In late summer 2010, we intend to conduct a national public debate with young drivers, their parents and guardians and representative groups in order to explore the issues and potential solutions on road safety for young and newly qualified drivers and shall await its outcome.

Road Safety

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Road Safety Foundation’s report, Saving Lives for Less , which shows that Scotland has the highest average risk rating of all regions in Britain, whether it will establish a dedicated accident black spot fund.

Stewart Stevenson: No. We are making available almost £12 billion in funding for local authorities this financial year. Decisions about local road investment are a matter for individual councils. Expenditure on trunk roads in Scotland in 2010-11 will be £568 million.

Road Safety

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the findings of the Road Safety Foundation’s report, Saving Lives for Less , which shows that Scotland has the highest average risk rating of all regions in Britain.

Stewart Stevenson: We are responding through implementation of Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020, published last year. This includes specific commitments on trunk roads and local roads, including engineering measures and work, through route safety groups, to reduce casualties along routes which are shown to have the highest incidences of road casualties. These route safety groups include representation from local authorities, the police and others, working together to provide innovative joined up solutions to reduce casualties. Transport Scotland assesses the safety performance of trunk roads every year to identify specific locations on the network which might benefit from localised engineering improvements.

  Interim reported road casualty statistics for Scotland 2009, published on 16 June, show that we now have the lowest road casualties in Scotland since records began in 1949, a welcome drop that continues a downward trend in recent years.

Road Safety

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve road safety on the A822.

Stewart Stevenson: The A822 is classed as a local road and is, therefore, the responsibility of those local authorities through whose area the route runs. We are making available almost £12 billion in funding for local authorities this financial year. Decisions about local road investment are a matter for individual councils.

Road Safety

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve road safety on the A823.

Stewart Stevenson: The A823 is classed as a local road and is, therefore, the responsibility of those local authorities through whose area the route runs. We are making available almost £12 billion in funding for local authorities this financial year. Decisions about local road investment are a matter for individual councils.

Schools

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the building timetable is for the construction of the new Wick High School in Caithness.

Keith Brown: Funding from the Scottish Government for the construction of a new Wick High School is being made available from 2012-13. The building timetable for the new school will be a matter for Highland Council to determine, in discussions with the Scottish Futures Trust.

Scottish Water

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish Water has paid Capgemini for consultancy services in the last 24 months, broken down by (a) amount, (b) date of payment and (c) service provided.

Stewart Stevenson: This information is not held centrally and I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to reply to you.

Young People

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 16 to 18 were classed as not in employment, education or training in each year since 2007, broken down by (a) year and (b) local authority area.

Keith Brown: Young people aged 16 to 19 and not in employment, education or training (NEET), are known as the More Choices and More Chances (MCMC) group. In line with this definition, data is presented for people aged 16 to 19 and not people aged 16 to 18 as requested.

  The Annual Population Survey (APS) is the official source for data on people not in education, employment or training. Table 1 shows the latest estimates from the APS, covering each year since 2007, of the numbers of people aged 16 to 19 not in education, employment or training in Scotland. It has not been possible to break these estimates down by local authority area because the sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates.

  Table 1: Proportion and level of 16-to-19 year olds NEET, Scotland, 2007-2009

  

Year
Proportion
Level


2007
12.2%
32,000


2008
11.8%
31,000


2009
13.8%
36,000



  Source: Annual Population Survey, Jan-Dec.

  Note:

  1. Estimates are rounded to nearest thousand.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Security Measures

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the cost of all additional security measures at the Scottish Parliament is in the last three years.

Alex Johnstone (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The Parliament has spent £2,314k in the last three years on additional security measures which can be broken down as follows:

  

Project
Cost


Streetscape Measures
£1,056k


Turnstiles
£412k


Project Management and Advice 
£276k


Vehicle Entry System
£233k


Chicane
£232k


Security Gates and Fences
£53k


Other General Security Measures
£52k


Total
£2,314k